Dog had locked jaw/, treated...similar experiences?

Hello...just wanted to see if anyone out there that had similar situation/experience, and if so, how did your vet go about treating/final outcome.

To sum up...about a week ago, started to notice my 2 y/o mixed breed (43 pounds, mostly whippet/shep/lab) starting to become tentative/apprehensive to eat. Now every few weeks, he generally shows this when his anal gland starts to become filled, usually release it, passes stoll/relieves his consitpation and he goes about as thought nothing happened. What was different this time...I did the gland, his bowel habits/gland did not bother him, but I progressively noticed him not eating/drinking more/apprehensive to even OPEN his mouth. So, this was on a friday when I started to notice the jaw issue more, so called vet, got an appointment for monday.

By later that saturday...he could not open his jaw at all...I had checked him out the best I could (i'm a medical student so obviously don't know dogs that well but basic signs of what may/may not have been wrong) until I could get him to the vet. Was suspecting either a tooth/gum problem, bone fragment, caught object (airway/throat was open though) caught in mouth, cut, sore, even an infection of some kind.Checked his temp, was completely normal, ears weren't sensitive, eyes were fine...he really didn't even seem fatigued/"sick"...just simply the jaw issue.

Started giving him progressively larger pieces of food (as poor guy was starving at this point) and he'd swallow the smaller pieces and started crying at bigger/thick pieces which needed to be chewed. As best I could, I then tried to get my hand in there, which he let me, and could not find any pain w/in his mouth...until finally his jaw opened a little bit more and that's when he yelped in pain. I didn't think waiting until mon. was wise at this point, so I found a vet (not his usual vet) to come in for an emergency visit and look at him, in case he did need something in which time was a factor.

To sum up from there...we finally got his mouth open (which was horrible to have to see/painful for him, but necessary to see what was in there)...no objects, tooth/gum problems, still no fever...we even checked his blood for lyme/heartworm...both negative. By that point, the vet had no idea (I mentioned something I had looked into about myositis, which he said he did not think it could be because we actually got his jaw open when trying, nonetheless...he still had/has no idea, but gave him 5 days of antibiotic, prednisone and a proton pump inhibitor for his stomach/meds...but what i'm trying to reaearch/see...

1) Has anyone had any situation similar to this...a jaw/muscle related problem, which ruled out lyme, foregin objects/overt trauma to the area? I'm sure there is still a chance of myositis, seems more unlikely as i'm reading about it/vets opinion, but any other ideas?

2) As dumb as it sounds, it looked/reminded me EXACTLY like tetanus...when I asked the vet, he informed me that it's not common at all (but I guess possible) in dogs...I know my dog is outside all day, eating/licking things in the dirt, especially in our backyard being fixed up w/old tools/supplies...just curious if anyone had actually had any case like this.heard about tetanus in a dog.

3) My dog is going on his last day of the antibiotic/prednisone/ppi therapy...and he's mroe fatigued than usual...jaw isn't bothering him/moving it fine now...sure that the drugs are adding this expected side effects to him, but out of curisoity, other people's dogs taking something as stong as prednisone...how long after did you see any issues/problems/fatigure, nausea...whatever?

4) Anyone have any GI viral/bacterial illnesses present in a similar way...to be honest, scared the crap out of me, and somewhat puzzled the vet...and we're all very happy he's doing better on the meds, just trying to figure out what it was in case (knock on wood) it seems to return after finishing the medications.

Hello...just wanted to see if anyone out there that had similar situation/experience, and if so, how did your vet go about treating/final outcome.

To sum up...about a week ago, started to notice my 2 y/o mixed breed (43 pounds, mostly whippet/shep/lab) starting to become tentative/apprehensive to eat. Now every few weeks, he generally shows this when his anal gland starts to become filled, usually release it, passes stoll/relieves his consitpation and he goes about as thought nothing happened. What was different this time...I did the gland, his bowel habits/gland did not bother him, but I progressively noticed him not eating/drinking more/apprehensive to even OPEN his mouth. So, this was on a friday when I started to notice the jaw issue more, so called vet, got an appointment for monday.

By later that saturday...he could not open his jaw at all...I had checked him out the best I could (i'm a medical student so obviously don't know dogs that well but basic signs of what may/may not have been wrong) until I could get him to the vet. Was suspecting either a tooth/gum problem, bone fragment, caught object (airway/throat was open though) caught in mouth, cut, sore, even an infection of some kind.Checked his temp, was completely normal, ears weren't sensitive, eyes were fine...he really didn't even seem fatigued/"sick"...just simply the jaw issue.

Started giving him progressively larger pieces of food (as poor guy was starving at this point) and he'd swallow the smaller pieces and started crying at bigger/thick pieces which needed to be chewed. As best I could, I then tried to get my hand in there, which he let me, and could not find any pain w/in his mouth...until finally his jaw opened a little bit more and that's when he yelped in pain. I didn't think waiting until mon. was wise at this point, so I found a vet (not his usual vet) to come in for an emergency visit and look at him, in case he did need something in which time was a factor.

To sum up from there...we finally got his mouth open (which was horrible to have to see/painful for him, but necessary to see what was in there)...no objects, tooth/gum problems, still no fever...we even checked his blood for lyme/heartworm...both negative. By that point, the vet had no idea (I mentioned something I had looked into about myositis, which he said he did not think it could be because we actually got his jaw open when trying, nonetheless...he still had/has no idea, but gave him 5 days of antibiotic, prednisone and a proton pump inhibitor for his stomach/meds...but what i'm trying to reaearch/see...

1) Has anyone had any situation similar to this...a jaw/muscle related problem, which ruled out lyme, foregin objects/overt trauma to the area? I'm sure there is still a chance of myositis, seems more unlikely as i'm reading about it/vets opinion, but any other ideas?

2) As dumb as it sounds, it looked/reminded me EXACTLY like tetanus...when I asked the vet, he informed me that it's not common at all (but I guess possible) in dogs...I know my dog is outside all day, eating/licking things in the dirt, especially in our backyard being fixed up w/old tools/supplies...just curious if anyone had actually had any case like this.heard about tetanus in a dog.

3) My dog is going on his last day of the antibiotic/prednisone/ppi therapy...and he's mroe fatigued than usual...jaw isn't bothering him/moving it fine now...sure that the drugs are adding this expected side effects to him, but out of curisoity, other people's dogs taking something as stong as prednisone...how long after did you see any issues/problems/fatigure, nausea...whatever?

4) Anyone have any GI viral/bacterial illnesses present in a similar way...to be honest, scared the crap out of me, and somewhat puzzled the vet...and we're all very happy he's doing better on the meds, just trying to figure out what it was in case (knock on wood) it seems to return after finishing the medications.

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